Ads.txt

What is ads.txt?

Ads.txt is a simple, flexible, and secure method for publishers and distributors to declare who is authorized to sell their inventory, improving transparency for programmatic buyers.

Please find IAB description and specification.

How does it work?

Publishers drop a text file on their web servers that contains a list of companies that are authorized to sell the publishers’ inventory. Similarly, programmatic platforms also integrate ads.txt files to confirm which publishers’ inventory they are authorized to sell. This allows buyers to check the validity of the inventory they purchase.

If ad exchanges and the publishers they represent adopt ads.txt, bidders can check the presence of an ads.txt file in their tags to verify that the exchange and the publisher have a legitimate connection between them.

Why is it important for your site?

By making public the names of your authorized sellers, ads.txt certifies your inventory as authentic and gives it the value it deserves. Many DSPs restrict their ad purchases to websites that provide ads.txt files. Therefore, if your website does not provide one, it could be excluded by a growing number of potential buyers, with possible negative consequences on ad revenue.

Clickio’s ads.txt

Clickio's ads.txt reflects an elaborate configuration of our demand stack. Clickio works only with premium demand sources via Google Ad Manager, Open Bidding, Header Bidding and Server-to-Server Bidding. Dynamic Demand Stack technology uses machine learning to analyze demand partners and channels, and select combinations that guarantee the best performance.

Google Ad Exchange

google.com, pub-3104790387792468, RESELLER, f08c47fec0942fa0

Amazon

aps.amazon.com, 04013c9e-1356-42d0-86b7-40a716af3f50, RESELLER #display

openx.com, 540191398, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6 #display

pubmatic.com, 157150, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace #display

districtm.io, 100962, RESELLER #display

appnexus.com, 1908, RESELLER, f5ab79cb980f11d1 #display

rubiconproject.com, 18020, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

rhythmone.com, 1654642120, RESELLER, a670c89d4a324e47

adtech.com, 12068, RESELLER

AppNexus

appnexus.com, 9954, RESELLER, f5ab79cb980f11d1

DistrictM

districtm.io, 101028, RESELLER, 3fd707be9c4527c3

appnexus.com, 1908, RESELLER, f5ab79cb980f11d1

Index Exchange

indexexchange.com, 189596, RESELLER

indexexchange.com, 189595, RESELLER

OpenX

openx.com, 537119011, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

openx.com, 540158170, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

openx.com, 540781154, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

Outbrain

appnexus.com, 7597, RESELLER, f5ab79cb980f11d1

tremorhub.com, q017o-78mlk, RESELLER, 1a4e959a1b50034a

teads.tv, 15429, RESELLER, 15a9c44f6d26cbe1

advertising.com, 26154, RESELLER

spotxchange.com, 225721, RESELLER

Freewheel.tv, 741650, RESELLER

rubiconproject.com, 17130, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

lkqd.net, 450, RESELLER, 59c49fa9598a0117

openx.com, 540393169, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

spotx.tv, 238936, RESELLER, 7842df1d2fe2db34

contextweb.com, 562145, RESELLER, 89ff185a4c4e857c

indexexchange.com, 190856, RESELLER, 50b1c356f2c5c8fc

pubmatic.com, 158615, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

vidazoo.com, 1773068026, RESELLER, b6ada874b4d7d0b2

Pubmatic

pubmatic.com, 157685, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

pubmatic.com, 157687, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

Rubicon

rubiconproject.com, 19942, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

rubiconproject.com, 19944, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

SmartAdServer

smartadserver.com, 3070, RESELLER

contextweb.com, 560288, RESELLER, 89ff185a4c4e857c

pubmatic.com, 156439, RESELLER

pubmatic.com, 154037, RESELLER

rubiconproject.com, 16114, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

openx.com, 537149888, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

appnexus.com, 3703, RESELLER, f5ab79cb980f11d1

groundtruth.com, 107, RESELLER, 81cbf0a75a5e0e9a

rubiconproject.com, 13132, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

pubmatic.com, 156030, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

districtm.io, 101760, RESELLER, 3fd707be9c4527c3

loopme.com, s-2411, RESELLER, 6c8d5f95897a5a3b

loopme.com, 5679, RESELLER, 6c8d5f95897a5a3b

Sovrn

sovrn.com, 247953, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b

lijit.com, 247953-eb, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b

lijit.com, 247953, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b

openx.com, 538959099, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

pubmatic.com, 137711, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

pubmatic.com, 156212, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

gumgum.com, 11645, RESELLER, ffdef49475d318a9

appnexus.com, 1360, RESELLER, f5ab79cb980f11d1

openx.com, 539924617, RESELLER, 6a698e2ec38604c6

pubmatic.com, 156700, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace

rubiconproject.com, 17960, RESELLER, 0bfd66d529a55807

Sublime

smartadserver.com, 1827, RESELLER

improvedigital.com, 335, RESELLER

appnexus.com, 3538, RESELLER

appnexus.com, 3539, RESELLER

appnexus.com, 3540, RESELLER

freewheel.tv, 69337, RESELLER

freewheel.tv, 72729, RESELLER

Teads

teads.tv, 15389, RESELLER, 15a9c44f6d26cbe1

You can download the full ads.txt file here.

How to update your ads.txt file?

Clickio has an ads.txt validator available in the platform. It allows publishers to check the current status of their ads.txt file and sends warnings in case of problem detection.

If there is an issue with ads.txt on your site, you will see an alert in your Clickio account. Please follow the steps below to update your ads.txt:

  1. Sign in to your Clickio account and click Ads.txt: https://adexchange.clickio.com/site/AdsTxt/ 
  2. Check sites highlighted in yellow or red with the status Ads.txt was found but it doesn’t contain all required data.
  3. In the Action column, click Fix now.
  4. Copy and paste missing lines to your current ads.txt file. Do not replace or delete previously added lines to avoid revenue disruptions. Alternatively, you can download your full ads.txt file with all required lines.
  5. Upload a new copy of the ads.txt file to your root domain.
  6. Click on Update status button.
  7. If the status is changed to Everything is OK, your ads.txt is updated.